Railway structure.



PATENTED OCT. 23, 1906.

J. A. SHIRLEY.

RAILWAY STRUCTURE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 6, 1905.

WITNESSES I each pair of slots 1) is laid a JOHN A. SHIRLEY, OF MOUNT CARMEL, ILLINOIS.

v RAILWAY STRUCTURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 23, 1906.

Application filed February 6,1906. Serial No. 299,706.

To ILZZ whont it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. SHIRLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing in Mount Carmel, in the county of Wabash and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Structures, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in railway structures, and particularly to means for supporting the rails and securing them in position; and the object of my invention is to provide such means which shall be simple in construction, cheap in manufacture, and efficient in operation.

In the drawings illustrating the principle of my invention and the best mode now known to me of applying that principle, Figure 1 is a sectional view transverse of the road-bed between the ties. Fig. 2 is a plan view of what is shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view of the parts shown in Fig. 1 and similar thereto, but looking from the other side. Fig. 4 is a side view showing the method of clenching a wedge, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a clamp.

In cross-section or end view the metallic tie a, Fig. 4, resembles an I-beam and is formed with four slots 6, which are all alike in size and two of which are upon one side of the web a of the tie, while the other two are upon the other side of the web. Between rail (1, which is fastened in place by means of a clamp and a wedge.

The clamp is of the form shown in Fig. 5. The toe e and leg f are thin compared with the head g, so that a shoulder h is formed at the junction of the head 9 with the leg f. The width of the slot 5 is just sufficient to allow the toe and leg to pass, while the shoulder it rests upon the top of the tie, so that it may freely slide along the slot in being wedged into place or in being removed from looking engagement with the rail d to permit the removal of the latter. The clamp is held from falling through the slot or becoming wedged therein and is most readily put in and removed from place.

Three different forms of nose of the clamp are shown. The nose i is used to support the outside of the rail upon a curve, the nose 9' is used where fish-plates are used to bind together the ends of abutting rails at railjoints, and nose 7: is used in holding straight rails between joints.

The wedges m are driven into the slots and force the clamps into place in engagement with the rail. To secure the wedge in place, a hook n is used, the heel 0 resting upon the base of the tie and its toe p serving to pry the tapering end of the wedge away from the web 0. When it is desired to loosen the wedge, the bent into place easily with a common hammer and is always accessible.

Since the slots are all of the same width and the lower portions of the clamps below the shoulder h are of the same thickness, the clamps are interchangeable and fitted to any tie, and the tie is adapted to be used anywhere along the line.

What I claim is 1. The combination in a railway structure of a metallic tie made up of a head and a base connected by a/web and formed with a pair of slots at each end, the slots of each pair passing through the head and opening on opposite sides of the web; a clamp having a nose formed to engage a rail member, a toe formed to engage under the head of said tie and a shoulder formed to bridge said slot and rest upon the upper face of the head of said tie, thereby permitting said clamp to move freely back and forth in said slot and preventing its falling through or becoming wedged therein a wedge formed to engage of said slot and said clamp and to force the latter into locking engagement with said rail member; and said rail member.

2. The combination in a railway structure of a metallic tie made up of a head and a base connected by a web and formed with a pair of slots at each end, the slots of each pair passing through the head and opening on opposite sides of the web a clamp having a nose formed to engage a rail member, a toe formed to engage under the head of said tie and a shoulder formed to bridge said slot and rest upon the upper face of the head of said permitting said clamp to move tie, thereby toe may be hammered back between one end freely back and forth in said slot and pre- I gage the tapered end of said wed e and force venting, its 7 falling through or becoming the same outwardly from the we of said tie wedged therein; a wedge formed to engage to olench said wedge.

between one end of said slot and said clamp JOHN A. SHIRLEY. 5 and to force the latter into looking engage- Witnesses:

ment with said rail member; said rail mem- PETER J. KOLB,

ber; and a pry having a curved end to en- HUGH HARBIN. 

